Backup Camera for Grand Design 311BHS?

[Chris n Erin]

Greetings All,

I am looking for advise on purchasing a backup camera for a 2018 Grand Design 311BHS. I see that it is pre-wired for a camera, but not so sure about installing the monitor in the cab. For this reason, I have been looking at purchasing a wireless bluetooth camera. Anybody have any suggestions? If so, which wireless or hard wired camera is the best? If you have gone the hard wired route, any advise on the install to the truck portion would be helpful.

Thanks,
Chris

[BuzzWolfAR]

Be careful on definitions. My wireless camera is wired into the rear lights system for power. The signal is sent wirelessly to the receiver/screen.

If yours is battery powered, place it where you can turn it on and off easily.

[SpiritDoc]

I have a Grand Design. Look and see if you have a furrion mount on the rear of your unit. Mine has one.the camera is a plug and play unit with a suction mount receiver for inside the truck. Unit is a bit pricey, however it works great for seeing behind you going and backing.

[Chris n Erin]

Originally Posted by SpiritDoc

I have a Grand Design. Look and see if you have a furrion mount on the rear of your unit. Mine has one.the camera is a plug and play unit with a suction mount receiver for inside the truck. Unit is a bit pricey, however it works great for seeing behind you going and backing.

I just looked the one up you’re talking about. It looks nice! So you were able to simply plug that camera to the already installed mounting bracket on the back of your 5ver and monitor up on your dash and you’re in business? Does it run off cell tower reception or Bluetooth? I’m thinking the latter is the best choice since many times out in the woods, you’re not going to have cell service.

[Chris n Erin]

Originally Posted by SpiritDoc

I have a Grand Design. Look and see if you have a furrion mount on the rear of your unit. Mine has one.the camera is a plug and play unit with a suction mount receiver for inside the truck. Unit is a bit pricey, however it works great for seeing behind you going and backing.

Hey, I also see you’re located in Nampa ID and you drive a Ford so you’re alright in my book. I was stationed in Meridian for 3 years before being transferred out here to communist controlled Washington. I love Idaho! We are planning a trip to McCall in May.

[SpiritDoc]

The unit works on it's own and doesn't interfer with anything. I pull with the Andersen ultimate hitch on the short bed 350. We love our rig. I rented all of Silver Creek for Memorial Day weekend and have 100 people for our family camp.

[KJD]

Originally Posted by Chris n Erin

I just looked the one up you’re talking about. It looks nice! So you were able to simply plug that camera to the already installed mounting bracket on the back of your 5ver and monitor up on your dash and you’re in business? Does it run off cell tower reception or Bluetooth? I’m thinking the latter is the best choice since many times out in the woods, you’re not going to have cell service.

The Furrion is Bluetooth compable. Works great on our Alpine 3401RS. The monitor comes with a suction cup bracket for the window but I usually just set it in one of the 4 cup holders in the center console. 2016 F250 Larriet.

[SpiritDoc]

So did you pick up your camera yet?

[rarebear.nm]

All of the factory pre-wired camera options I know about are pre-wired for 12 volt power only, not the signal to the monitor. They are typically connected to the running or mark lights. So any time the running lights are on the camera is also on. Most of the monitors can either plug into a dash mounted 12 volt power outlet or be hardwired into a switched 12 volt circuit.

In my RAM I have a 12 volt, 40 amp fuse box in the center console so I can add the various toys, camera monitor, TPMS, GPS, cell phone booster, etc each with its own fused circuit.

All of the wireless rear view cameras/backup cameras I've read about use the 2.4 GHz radio band. Same as WiFi, garage door openers, baby monitors, etc. Some may use the 5.2 GHz band. They do not require a WiFi router. Range on this frequency can be about 100 feet. I doubt any RV rear view cameras uses bluetooth as its range is very short, about 30 ft max in clear line of sight. None of these units will use the cell phone frequencies. You would be using endless cell time, just a bad design option.

I use a two camera system from Rear View safety and like it.

[TexasProud]

I have a 2018 Grand Design Solitude and recently purchased the Furrion High Speed Observation camera. It came with the mounting bracket which you don't need (there is one on the back of the RV already). Simply plug the wire that is in the mounting bracket to the wire to the camera, secure the camera to the mounting bracket w/ the 4 screws and you're done. The camera should be paired to the monitor camera already from the factory. I plug the monitor camera into the cigarette plug in the cab of the truck for power since I didn't want to hard wire the unit.
On earlier RV's the camera was activated by the back-up lights or the running lights when turned on. On current Grand Design RV's, the camera is always on (you'll see a small blue LED light illuminated on the back of the camera). I use the battery disconnect switch to stop power to the camera when the RV is in storage and always confirm that the blue LED light goes out).
There is a less expensive Furrion back-up camera available but it doesn't provide a good image of what's behind you when going down the road at highway speed d/t a slower processing unit.
This is the unit that I purchased:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[rarebear.nm]

I would like to be able to turn off the camera without having to shut down all 12 volt power to the RV.

[sellis1053]

Originally Posted by TexasProud

I have a 2018 Grand Design Solitude and recently purchased the Furrion High Speed Observation camera. It came with the mounting bracket which you don't need (there is one on the back of the RV already). Simply plug the wire that is in the mounting bracket to the wire to the camera, secure the camera to the mounting bracket w/ the 4 screws and you're done. The camera should be paired to the monitor camera already from the factory. I plug the monitor camera into the cigarette plug in the cab of the truck for power since I didn't want to hard wire the unit.
On earlier RV's the camera was activated by the back-up lights or the running lights when turned on. On current Grand Design RV's, the camera is always on (you'll see a small blue LED light illuminated on the back of the camera). I use the battery disconnect switch to stop power to the camera when the RV is in storage and always confirm that the blue LED light goes out).
There is a less expensive Furrion back-up camera available but it doesn't provide a good image of what's behind you when going down the road at highway speed d/t a slower processing unit.
This is the unit that I purchased:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When connected to shore power, will the battery charge when the battery disconnect switch is off? I don't need the camera on when I'm at a campsite for a week and would like to turn it off without needing to wire it to a switch or running lights.

[dtingle]

I wired my Furrion observation camera into the clearance lights. When towing lights and camera on, when set up and disconnected camera off. That's what worked for me.

[sellis1053]

Originally Posted by dtingle

I wired my Furrion observation camera into the clearance lights. When towing lights and camera on, when set up and disconnected camera off. That's what worked for me.

How difficult was it?